Coreopsis plant named ‘RP1’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Coreopsis  plant named ‘RP #1’, characterized by numerous, small, free flowering, copper-colored daisy-like flowers, a pincushion habit and excellent vigor.

Botanical designation: Coreopsis hybrid (of unknown origin).

Variety denomination: ‘RP #1’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct plant of Coreopsisand given the cultivar name ‘RP #1’. Coreopsis is in the familyAsteraceae. This new cultivar originated as a whole plant tissue culturemutation from Coreopsis ‘Rum Punch’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser.No. 11/488,815). ‘RP #1’ stood out with its extremely tight and compacthabit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘RP #1’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘RP #1’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Numerous, small copper-colored daisy-like flowers.    -   2. Low pincushion habit.    -   3. Very free flowering and blooms continuously all summer.    -   4. Excellent vigor.

This new cultivar has been reproduced only by asexual propagation(cuttings and tissue culture). Each of the progeny exhibits identicalcharacteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation by cuttingsand tissue culture using standard micropropagation techniques withterminal and lateral shoots, as done in Canby, Oreg., shows that theforegoing characteristics and distinctions come true to form and areestablished and transmitted through succeeding propagations. The presentinvention has not been evaluated under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environmentwithout a change in the genotype of the plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

FIG. 1 shows a one year old Coreopsis ‘RP #1’ growing in the ground inthe garden in full sun in August in Canby, Oreg.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new Coreopsis cultivarbased on observations of a one-year-old specimen grown in the ground infull sun under typical outdoor conditions in the trial fields in Augustin Canby, Oreg. Canby is Zone 8 on the USDA Hardiness map. Temperaturesrange from a high of 95 degrees F. in August to an average of 32 degreesF. in January. Normal rainfall in Canby is 42.8 inches per year. Thecolor descriptions are all based on The Royal Horticultural SocietyColour Chart.

-   Plant:    -   -   Type.—Herbaceous perennial, grown as an annual.        -   Hardiness.—USDA Zone 9-10.        -   Size.—40 cm wide and 20 cm tall to top of flowers.        -   Form.—Pincushion (very low mound with freely branching            stems).        -   Vigor.—Excellent.        -   Roots.—Fibrous, freely branching, fine, and Yellow White            158A; roots develop easily from stem cuttings.-   Stem:    -   -   Type.—Ascending.        -   Size.—Grows with branches to 20 cm tall and 3 mm wide.        -   Internode length.—Grows to 2 cm, most 1 cm.        -   Surface.—Glabrous.        -   Color.—Green 137B with the base being Grey Brown 199A.-   Leaf:    -   -   Type.—Simple.        -   Shape.—Linear.        -   Arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Size.—Grows to 2.5 mm long and 1.2 mm wide.        -   Margins.—Entire except at the base where sparsely pubescent.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Cuneate, clasping.        -   Surface texture.—Glabrous on top and bottom side.        -   Venation.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Top side — Green 147A. Bottom — Green 147A.-   Immature inflorescence: Globular, 4 mm wide and 3.5 mm deep, Greyed    Purple 187A, glabrous.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—Long stalked terminal heads of daisy type flowers.        -   Peduncle.—Grows to 5.5 cm long and 0.6 mm wide, glabrous,            Green 137A.        -   Size.—2.5 cm wide and 7 mm deep.        -   Ray florets.—8 in number, no pistil or stamen, obovate, the            tip three lobed with the terminal lobe the longest, margins            entire, base cuneate, 13 mm long and 5 mm wide, glabrous on            both surfaces, 3 mm claw at base, laminae with linear            appendage on side or opposite and upright, 6 mm long. Color:            Ray flower, topside — Greyed Orange 175B with the laminae            base Yellow 12B, giving the bright gold eye. Ray, bottom            side — Greyed Orange 177C mostly with Greyed Red 178A at the            tip and Yellow 12B at the base.        -   Cone.—Conic in shape, grows to 5 mm wide and 3 mm deep,            Greyed Purple 187A.        -   Disc florets.—Corolla — 3 mm long and grows to 1 mm wide,            tubular, 4 lobed, entire, acute, lobes Greyed Purple 185A            and tube Yellow 11A, glabrous. Pistil — 3.5 mm long,            2-branched stigma extruding from the corolla, Orange 26B,            style 3 mm long, Orange 26B, ovary 0.5 mm long, Yellow 11D.            Stamen — 4, filaments 3 mm long, extruding, Greyed Purple            187A, pollen Orange 17A.        -   Phyllaries.—In 2 series, first series closet to ray florets            8 in number, ovate, entire, acuminate, in an area 5 mm deep            and 6 mm wide, glabrous, Greyed Orange 174B on top half and            Yellow Green 147A on bottom half; lower series 8 in number,            in an area 2 mm deep and 1.5 mm wide, ovate, entire, acute,            glabrous, Yellow Green 147A.        -   Bloom period.—June through September in Canby, Oreg.        -   Fragrance.—Light, daisy like.-   Seed: None produced.    -   -   Fertility.—Infertile.-   Disease and pests: Coreopsis are susceptible to mildew and fungal    spots. None of these have been observed on plants grown under    commercial conditions in Canby, Oreg.

COMPARISONS TO SIMILAR COREOPSIS

Compared to Coreopsis ‘Limerock Ruby’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,455), thisnew cultivar has smaller flowers of copper rather than rose pink and amuch more compact habit.

Compared to Coreopsis ‘Rum Punch’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser.No. 11/488,815), the new cultivar has smaller flowers of copper ratherthan orangey rose and a much more compact habit.

Compared to co-pending applications for Coreopsis ‘RP #4’ (U.S. Plantpatent application Ser. No. 11/592,083) and ‘RP #5’ (U.S. Plant patentapplication Ser. No. 11/592,053), the new cultivar has a much morecompact habit.

1. A new and distinct Coreopsis plant as herein illustrated anddescribed.